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Tuesday, May 12, 2015

M1 Tank Test Bed (TTB) with Unmanned Turret

M1 Abrams Tank Test Bed

A Long Time Ago, In a Galaxy Far, Far Away...

Long Before Armata MBT, There was M1 TTB...

In the mid-80s, US Tank Automotive Command (TACOM) awarded a contract to design and develop a Test Bed for an M1 Abrams with an Unmanned 120mm Turret with the crew in the hull to General Dynamics Land Systems.

M1 Tank Test Bed (TTB) with Unmanned Turret

The distinctive feature of this Test Bed is the Unmanned Turret with the Autoloader.

M1 Tank Test Bed (TTB) with Unmanned Turret

The crew including the Tank Commander, Gunner and Driver are located in the hull. They are provided with a space ship style seating arrangement.

TTB Crew Layout

The tank retained the original M256 smooth bore gun albeit in an unmanned turret with the 120-mm “brassboard” autoloader transfer mechanism. This device was required to cycle ammunition from a designated storage position to a simulated gun breech and back, at 12 rounds/minute, while leaving no witness marks on the fragile combustible case after the completion of 20 loading repetitions per round.

The TTB Autoloader was a conspicuous success. The system consisted of a 44-round capacity “carousel” type mechanized magazine, located in an unmanned turret basket; a fully articulated Transfer Unit (including a rammer) positioned at the rear of the M256 120-mm cannon in the turret bustle; and a microprocessor-based, Electronic

Control Unit (ECU).

TTB Turret with AutoLoader

AutoLoader Transfer Unit

The system was electrohydraulically powered to utilize the existing turret power supply.